monkeypox

noun

mon·​key·​pox ˈməŋ-kē-ˌpäks 

: a zoonotic disease especially of central and western Africa that is caused by a poxvirus (species Monkeypox virus of the genus Orthopoxvirus), that is transmitted in humans usually by direct contact with the infectious lesions or bodily fluids of an infected person or animal, and that causes initial symptoms including fever, headache, swollen lymph glands, myalgia, and fatigue followed by skin eruptions typically on the face, hands, feet, and mouth with lesions that eventually fill with fluid before sloughing off : mpox

Note: This disease was first identified in monkeys in 1958, although the natural reservoir (see reservoir sense 3a) has not been identified. The virus has been found in various animals including rodents and primates.

Note: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on November 28, 2022 that it will begin using the name mpox to refer to this disease due to the stigmatizing nature of the original name.

Examples of monkeypox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many older adults often have at least some immunity to monkeypox virus, because most received the smallpox vaccine, which also protects against mpox. —Byjon Cohen, science.org, 19 Apr. 2024

There are also two vaccines against smallpox that could be used against monkeypox. —Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2022

Symptoms include a fever, swollen lymph nodes and characteristic rash and the disease follows infection with the monkeypox virus, typically through close contact with infected humans, animals or contaminated materials like bed linen. —Robert Hart, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024

Colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox virus particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory. —Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

monkeypox

noun

mon·​key·​pox ˈməŋ-kē-ˌpäks 

: a zoonotic disease especially of central and western Africa that is caused by a poxvirus of the genus Orthopoxvirus (species Monkeypox virus), that is transmitted in humans usually by direct contact with the infectious lesions or bodily fluids of an infected person or animal, and that is typically characterized by flu-like symptoms followed one to four days later by skin eruptions on the face, mouth, and extremities with lesions that eventually fill with fluid before crusting over and sloughing off : mpox

Note: This disease was first identified in monkeys in 1958, although the natural reservoir (see reservoir sense 2a) has not been identified. The virus has been found in various animals including rodents and primates.

Note: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on November 28, 2022 that it will begin using the name mpox to refer to this disease due to the stigmatizing nature of the original name.